Intro To Dakan Road
Colorado is well known for its very long list of outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, skiing, and so on. Although sometimes overlooked, 4WD trails prove to be among the most fun to participate in with friends and family in Colorado. Does your truck or SUV have 4WD? If so, you’re in luck because that is all you need to enjoy the Dakan Road trail in Sedalia. It’s one of the easiest trails in Colorado which resides within 40 minutes of Castle Rock. Spanning a total of 23 miles (3 hours long), there is plenty of trail to explore, but if time doesn’t permit, just turn around at any point since it’s a two way road. If snowy trails are your preference, you’ll have to catch a late November or early May snow storm, since the trail is closed from December 1st until May 1st.
Recommended Equipment
As mentioned earlier, the only equipment requirements are that your vehicle has 4WD and the ground clearance of the average stock truck or SUV. No recovery tracks, locking differentials, lift, or even all-terrain tires are necessary to complete the trail. We tested out the trail for ourselves which we documented here, and we got up and down without issue, using a completely stock 2003 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 on highway terrain tires with over 330,000 miles. While serious off road equipment is not necessary on this trail, we still saw multiple atv’s, utv’s, and dirtbikes buzzing right through.
What to Expect on the Trail
Camping spots are scattered all along the sides of the trail. While it is free to enjoy the trail during the day, these spots cost $22/night/vehicle on a first come, first serve basis with only a firepit, generally level ground and in some cases, gorgeous views. We found one particular spot with views of rock formations in a sea of pine trees as far as you can see. Considering the trail is surrounded with forest, there is wildlife like deer and squirrels that roam and can be visible predominantly at breakfast and dinner time. While we did mention that we saw plenty of utv’s, atv’s and dirtbikes on the trail, it wasn’t until later in the morning that they showed up, so we recommend arriving early and having breakfast at the trailhead.
Weekend Activity in Castle Rock’s Backyard
Considering this trail is only 40 minutes from Castle Rock, any residents who have an interest in 4WD trails could easily make this into a half day/day trip/overnight weekend camp, while staying in close proximity to home. If the possibility of living in Castle Rock Interests you, refer to our Suburban page and Castle Rock for more information. If you love Colorado and all of the adventure that it offers, we post weekly on this website about different activities that could fill your weekend. My name is Tiffany Hughes, a true Colorado Native. If moving to Colorado is your dream, I would be more than happy to answer any and all questions you could possibly have about different areas to consider when purchasing a home in Colorado. Call my cell 303-549-0891 or email me at tiffanylynnehughes@gmail.com to start a conversation. Be safe and enjoy your next Colorado adventure!